Tooth Extractions

Taking care of your teeth should be a high priority of yours. Do not wait until it starts to hurt. If you’re having problems with a tooth, emergency services are offered at any Martindale Dental Clinic in the GTA and Niagara Region.

There are many different reasons why you might need a tooth extraction, and by coming to our office, we can take a look and determine if action is required. Sometimes you’ll need a tooth extraction if the teeth are severely decayed or if there is an advanced periodontal disease. Broken teeth can be an issue as well and might need to be extracted if they cannot be repaired. Other factors such as position in the mouth, impacted teeth, or preparation for orthodontic treatment might also be reasons for a tooth extraction.
By removing even a single tooth, problems can occur. Difficulties with your chewing ability, problems with your jaw joint, or shifting teeth can have a significant impact on your dental health.

Avoiding these complications is important and our doctors will discuss various methods or alternatives to extraction with you.
The extraction process will start by having the doctor numb your tooth, jawbone, and the gums which surround the area. The freezing process will be done using local anaesthetics.
A little bit of pressure can be felt as your nerves get numbed by the anaesthetic. As this happens, the nerves which transmit pain will no longer have an effect as the numbing continues. However, it is important to let us know right away if you do feel pain during this process.

Some teeth require sectioning during the extraction process. What this means is that sometimes teeth are so firmly anchored in its socket that the doctor will cut the tooth into section and removes them one at a time. This can also happen when the socket is not able to expand by having a curved root.
After your tooth has been extracted, measures must be taken in order to stop the bleeding and let the healing process begin. Biting on a gauze pad for 30-45 minutes will help after your appointment. If the bleeding is persistent, bite down on another gauze pad and bite firmly for an additional 30 minutes. It is possible that you may need to do this several times if the blood does not clot.

It is important to not dislodge the clot and to not disturb it. Do not rinse your mouth and teeth vigorously after extraction. It is also a good idea to stay away from straws, smoking, drinking alcohol, or brushing teeth next to the extracted tooth for upwards of 72 hours. The previously listed activities can dislodge or dissolve the blood clot and slow down the healing process. It is also a good idea to limit vigorous or extreme exercise for the next 24 hours as this can increase blood pressure and additional bleeding.

It is common to feel pain and experience swelling after a tooth has been extracted. To help with this, use an ice pack, or an unopened bag of frozen vegetables and keep it applied to the area. Sometimes, pain medications will be prescribed as well. Swelling will generally subside after 48 hours.
Call our office if the pain medication which has been prescribed does not seem to be working. If antibiotics are prescribed, make sure to continue using them for the indicated length even if the symptoms and signs of infection are gone. Make sure to drink lots of fluids and consume foods that are healthy for your diet. Eating soft foods on the day of the extraction is also highly recommended. Eating normally can begin as soon as you are comfortable.
After 24 hours, it is important to resume your daily dental routine. This includes brushing and flossing your teeth once per day. This will help with the healing process and keep your mouth fresh.

A few days after the extraction, you should start to feel better. If you still continue to have heavy bleeding and severe pain, call our office immediately. This could be from a reaction to a medication.